Handcrafted sparkling wine from Napa's first hillside caves on Diamond Mountain, served at State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since 1972.
Napa's first hillside caves, dug from 1870 · the bottles still rest here on their yeast
For 60 years, Schramsberg Vineyards has been committed to crafting extraordinary sparkling wines. Living and working on the Napa Valley Diamond Mountain property, the Davies family and Schramsberg team have focused on creating wines that reflect the passion and experience of the people behind each bottle.
- 1862Jacob Schram plants Napa's first hillside vineyard
- 1965Jack & Jamie Davies revive the estate
- 0Cool-climate vineyard sites, 172 blocks
- 0+Base wines blended each year
- 0%Of the juice fermented in oak
The Diamond Mountain estate
When Jack and Jamie Davies bought Jacob Schram's abandoned winery in 1965, they chose to preserve what was already there: the house, the caves, and 155 acres of forest around 43 acres of vines.
The Caves
Napa's first hillside caves, dug by Chinese laborers from 1870; a second set of tunnels began in 1881.
- Dug
- 1870 and 1881
- Inside
- Bottles stacked and riddled by hand
- Why
- Steady cool, no air-conditioned warehouse needed
Our tête de cuvée: only 2–3% of each year's production, the very best of some 300 base wine lots, aged eight years in the caves.
2017 J. Schram Rosé
94 points · James Suckling
Schramsberg, the pioneer of ultra-premium quality American sparkling wines, is proud to present its fifteenth vintage of J. Schram Rosé. This sparkling wine is the result of a singular focus to produce a California sparkling rosé as fine as any made in the world.
As the wines do age, you will find that the brighter fruity flavors will slowly convert into more rich, caramelized ones. The red berry and strawberry flavors within our Blanc de Noirs shift to stone fruits, such as peaches and nectarines. In the Blanc de Blancs, the crisp green apple flavors slowly transform into a baked apple pie.
Drag the lantern down the tunnel. Every bottle stands at the years it rested on its yeast in our caves, taken from each wine's own tech sheet.
on the yeast
2017 J. Schram Blancs
The 2017 J. Schram Blancs is composed of 79% Chardonnay and 21% Pinot Noir with 7 grams per liter of dosage. Graceful notes of pear tart and spiced apple slices open out to an undercurrent of acacia honey, fresh hay
Still done by hand, in the caves
Méthode traditionnelle: a second fermentation inside the bottle creates the bubbles. Our tête de cuvée wines then rest seven to eight years before release, the balance two or more.
- 01Picked by hand
Hand-picking, early-morning harvesting, and light pressing of the grapes from more than 78 cool-climate sites are critical for maintaining juice quality.
- 02Base wines & blending
25% of the juice ferments in oak, unique among California sparkling houses; the team tastes some 250 base wines each spring to build each blend.
- 03Tirage
The blend goes into bottle for its second fermentation, the bubbles; bottles are stacked by hand in the caves.
- 04Riddling
Bottles are turned by hand, a little each day, until the spent yeast settles in the neck.
- 05Disgorging
The yeast plug is removed and a finishing dosage, chosen through extensive trials, fine-tunes the balance.
- 06Labelled by hand
J. Schram is still finished and labelled by hand before it leaves the mountain.
In 1972 the Toast to Peace in Beijing was poured from our 1969 Blanc de Blancs.
President Nixon's State dinner for Premier Zhou Enlai was the first time any American wine was served at a White House or State event, at home or abroad. Schramsberg has been served by every U.S. Presidential administration since.
By appointment only
Cave tours with tastings and tasting-only experiences at 1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga. We are limited in the number of guests we can see each day, so please book ahead.
- Napa's first hillside cavesDug from 1870; the bottles still rest and are riddled here by hand.
- Jacob Schram's houseThe 1889 Victorian with its veranda, where Robert Louis Stevenson came calling.
- The frog pondLily pads below the visitor center, on a mountainside kept wild.
- Club membersTwo reservations per account at a reduced price, member present.
- Private toursSeven or more guests, Sunday to Thursday mornings, booked by email.
- Visitor centerOpen 9:00am to 4:30pm for retail sales.
Six wines. A walk through the historic caves, then a variety of our limited Schramsberg sparkling and Davies Vineyards wines. Held indoors; may include multiple groups.
Held indoors, may include other groups
Pick a day first.
All visitors must be 21+. A credit card holds the booking; 24 hour cancellation policy. Club members must have received a first shipment and be present.
Wine clubs with four shipments a year, ground shipping included, complimentary tours or tastings for you and a guest, and 15% off wine and merchandise at both wineries.
- Cellar Club8–10 bottles a year · Schramsberg sparkling
- Riddler's Circle24–36 bottles a year · Sparkling + library · wait list
- Hugh & Monique's Collection18–20 bottles a year · Sparkling + Davies reds
Coming up
Nov142026 Holiday Shopping DaySat, Nov 14 · Schramsberg Vineyards, Napa ValleyNov19Vintner Hugh Davies at Pops for ChampagneThu, Nov 19 · Chicago, ILDec2Aww Shucks it's Wednesday! Oysters & BubblesWed, Dec 2 · 11–3 · Davies Vineyards, St. HelenaSip & Savor
Pairings & recipesBlanc de Blancs with olives, arugula and Parmesan flatbread.
EntertainingBlanc de Noirs with a charcuterie board.
EducationHow sparkling wines age, and the dos and don'ts.Fresh seafood, ceviche and oysters on the half-shell pair perfectly with a young Blanc de Blancs. Richer foods such as caviar, mushroom tarts, veal or rabbit lend themselves to the older vintages.
Have you tried our still wines?
Davies Vineyards: Cabernet from the same mountain, Pinot Noir from the coast.
Visit Davies Vineyards